


Labour Pains

by obisgirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-25
Updated: 2013-02-25
Packaged: 2017-12-03 14:39:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/699338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obisgirl/pseuds/obisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle begs Hook to drop this vengeance against Rumpelstiltskin but in the middle of talking to him, she goes into labour and Hook has to assist her through it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Labour Pains

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.  
> A/N: I was inspired to write this after watching that Lost episode where Claire gives birth. And Emilie almost always plays a pregnant character throughout her career, and I'm 100% sure that Belle will become pregnant at some point with Rumpelstiltskin's baby, so this is my take on what that situation could look like.

The only woman who visits Killian Jones on his ship, safely hidden in Storybooke harbor is the town's sheriff, Emma Swan. But today, it's the crocodile's lass, Belle. It's unusual for him to see her alone, especially since she's almost always never alone, accompanied by either Red or Rumpelstiltskin. But today, Belle's being brave, venturing on board his ship alone and very pregnant on a mission of peace.

He's sure that Rumpelstiltskin doesn't know that she's there, otherwise he would drop whatever he's doing and be by her side. Belle came here on her own free will, which either makes her brave or silly. But he admires her courage.

“What can I do for you today?” he asks, looking up at her.

“You've been here awhile Hook,” she notes, bracing her round stomach, “and you've tried to exact your revenge against Rumpelstiltskin and each time you've gone up against him, you've failed. I think it's time that you drop this and move on,”

He shrugs, smiling thoughtfully at her. “You fail once, you try again; you miss your step a second, third, fourth of fifth time, it'll only makes a man more determined to accomplish his task,” he reasons.

She sighs. “I asked Rumpelstiltskin how long he was willing to keep this up with the baby coming and he said, as long as it takes because now, he has even more motivation to stop you: to protect me and the baby we're expecting,” she says, “but the thing is Hook, I don't want my life to be in a cage. I don't want that for my child either. That's why I want you to stop this vendetta,”

“This vendetta doesn't include you Belle,” he muses, “it's between him and me,”

“But does it really need to continue after all this time?” she pleas. “The fighting, people getting hurt, it doesn't mean anything anymore. He's trying to be a better person...”

“...for you and your baby, I know,” he retorts, “but that doesn't make him any less a monster,”

“I'm not here to plead on his behalf,” she says finally, “I'm here for me and my baby, and I'm here as your friend. I know he doesn't approve of our friendship but I'm asking you, as your friend, will you drop this?”

He looks back her curiously. He has no intention of hurting Belle, especially after she thrust herself into his life, offering him friendship which was a very odd move for the time since he tried to kill her.

Captain Hook doesn't have many friends in Storybrooke, no real true friends he can really rely on. Aside from Sheriff Swan, Belle's the only other woman who will tell him the truth even when he doesn't want to hear it.

Right now, she's pleading for her life and the life of her child.

“I need to do this to avenge her,” he reasons, “He took her from me,”

“The way I see it, you stole her from him,” she counters, “Enough is enough. Haven't you both lost a lot already?”

He shrugs, if he lost another hand, he'd have to change his nickname to Captain Hooks' but he understand what she's saying. “I spent centuries plotting my revenge Belle and now, you're asking me to put that aside so you can have your happily ever after,” he muses, “how is that fair?”

“Life isn't always fair, Hook but it's what right,” she reasons, “You can move on, you can be better than this. Do the right thing if you still know what that is anymore,”

He doesn't say anything and Belle sighs, turning to leave but stops short, suddenly feeling a sharp pain shoot through her. Hook looks over at her and comes over to her, helping her sit down gently.

“Belle, how far along are you?” he ventures.

“I had an appointment with Doctor Whale two days ago and he said, I could go into labor anytime this week,” she cries, breathing and looking nervously at him.

“I'll call Rumpelstiltskin and he can take you to ---”

She grabs his wrist, gripping it hard and he screams along with her. “I can't move,” she cries, her eyes darting everywhere, “Oh no,”

“What?”

“I think my water just broke,” she cries.

“You can't go into labour here, on my ship, in my cabin!” he cries, but it's too late to move her anywhere else.

She glares at him and he helps her over to his bed lying her down gently. He fixes the pillows for her, elevating her body and Belle strains to remove her leggings.

He needs to get a message to call for help. He's a pirate, not a doctor; he's never helped deliver a baby before, he's not even equipped to help her deliver. He screams for help, hoping someone will hear him but Belle's annoyed look isn't helping and he shuts up, breathing along with her.

The contractions stop ten minutes later and Hook can breathe more easily, but he knows it's the calm before the storm. They'll start again and when they do, Belle has to start pushing. His bed's been christened other ways before but this is the first time, someone has used it for birthing purposes.

He feels Belle start to tense up again and he braces himself for another round of more labour pains. “Remember to breathe Belle,” he soothes.

She nods furiously and starts pushing in ten to fifteen minute intervals, taking long breaths in between. Hook finds a handkerchief nearby and uses it to pat dry her forehead. Belle pushes again and Hook holds on for dear life, watching the bed for any sign of the babies' head.

Belle takes another break before pushing again and Hook clears the sheets, giving her more room. After a moment, she pushes again and that's when Hook sees it, the crown of the babies' head and he smiles.

“Belle, I see the head!” he shouts.

“You see his head?” she cries between breaths.

He grasps her hand and squeezes. “You have to continue pushing,” he advises, “He's almost here!”

She shuts her eyes, bearing down, pushing as hard as possible. Soon, Hook can see the full of the babies' head and shoulders. Belle pushes down some more and he can see the babies upper body.

“I can't do this without Rumpelstiltskin,” she cries between pushes, “I need him to be here!”

She starts crying again and Hook pats her back. “I can't leave you and look for him in the middle of this, ” he reasons. “Belle, your baby needs you. You have to give him a chance. Rumpelstiltskin will be along later but you have to keep pushing,”

Belle's reluctant to continue pushing but she knows she has too; Rumpelstiltskin will be there in time but right now, she needs to give her baby a chance. She starts pushing again and this time Hook can see the babies' legs and soon, after another big push, the feet. Belle relaxes and Hook moves, scooping the child in his arms and wraps it in another blanket, cleaning off its face and hands it to Belle.

Tears are falling down Belle's cheeks as she finally holds her baby in her arms, a life that she and Rumpelstiltskin created. “She's so beautiful,” she cries and Hook can't help but smile in agreement.

“I thought you said it was a he,” he notes.

Belle shrugs. “No, I always knew it was going to be a girl,” she says.

~~

After some convincing from Belle, Hook runs to get Rumpelstiltskin and Dr. Whale, but she's surprised when he comes back with two more faces: Baelfire and Sheriff Swan. Dr. Whale checks her out right away, and Rumpelstiltskin rushes to her side as she shows him their baby girl. Baelfire stands back, admiring his new family from afar until Belle beckons him closer and he does.

“It's a girl,” she says.

“A baby sister,” he muses, “she's so tiny. Have you thought about what to name her?”

Belle kisses the child's forehead and looks at Rumpelstiltskin. “We hadn't really talked about names in the event of a girl,” he reasons.

Hook watches them chatter and he remembers Belle's plea to stop his revenge, and now he knows that he really has too. He's many things but one thing that has always been consistent about him is that he's always had a soft spot for children. He can't deprive an innocent little girl of knowing her father. That's not right.

Belle was right.

He has to drop this.

Dr. Whale walks towards him, medical case in hand. “You did an amazing job Hook,” he admits, “Mother and child are healthy,”

Hook doesn't say anything and the doctor leaves quietly as Emma comes into view. The sheriff walks over to him and they leave the cabin, giving the new family some privacy.

“You did something really special today, Hook,” she reasons, “You helped deliver the child of your arch nemesis,”

“Believe me, I doubt that was her intention when she came here to see me,” he says.

“Why did she do that?” Emma asks.

Hook sighs, fingering his hook. “She came here to plead for her life and the life of her child,” he manages, “Belle's a very brave woman. She didn't have to come here and do that, but she did,”

Emma smiles at him thoughtfully. It took her time to get to know Belle after coming back to Storybrooke, trying to separate fairytale book Belle with the real Belle. But Hook's right: she is brave, braver than she thought.

“So,” she starts uneasily, “does this change anything for you?”

Hook shifts uncomfortably, looking at her. “If you're referring to my vendetta, I think that's long dead at this point,” he says and Emma smirks at him. “I know, you begged me for the same thing months ago and I didn't want to listen to you. Now you get your wish, Swan. I'm done,”

“I never figured Captain Hook for a softy,” she teases and he rolls his eyes. “but I'm proud of you,”

He smiles at her, crossing his arms coolly, looking at her. “Was that a compliment from Emma Swan?” he teases.

“Don't let it go to your head – but it was,” she offers, “and I mean it,”

“Thank you,” he murmurs, “Emma,”

She bridges the gap between them and stands up to him, smiling fondly. “I always knew your heart wasn't totally black,” she whispers and kisses his cheek. “Who knows? This could be the beginning of how Captain Hook becomes the good guy and changes his life for the better,”

“Now, you're making fun of me,” he retorts, staring into her eyes.

Emma's still smirking at him and moves to kiss his cheek but Hook turns and her lips smash against his. Emma grabs his shirt and kisses him back, letting him explore her mouth and only pulls apart when she hears someone clear their throat, interrupting them.

“Neal,” she breathes, backing away from him.

“I came,” he starts, his blood boiling at the sight of the woman he loves making out with that dirty pirate. “I came – to thank you for being there for Belle,”

“You're welcome,” Hook says.

Emma doesn't take her eyes off Neal, watching those dark eyes of his plot Hook's demise and she steps between them. “Neal,” she starts and he looks at her. “Leave it for another day. You have a baby sister, a wonderful step mom and your father back. Now's not the time for another fight,”

Neal glances at Emma and then glares at Hook, wanting nothing more than to punch him for kissing Emma but he knows that she's right about this. He stands down and walks back into the cabin, joining his family.

Emma lets out a big sigh and she comes over to Hook, hugging him and then backs away again. “I seriously cannot deal with all this possessive male testosterone,” she whispers, “I should go. First new baby since the curse has been broken. That's big news,”

“Emma,” he calls after her and she turns around, looking at him. “I'm not sorry about the kiss,”

“I know,” she says, “I'm not either,”

He looks at her thoughtfully as she smiles at him, walking down the hallway and finding her way off the ship.

Revenge is pointless when your heart isn't made of stone anymore.

The End


End file.
